Post 22

By Darrell J Banks

CR 2014

5,783 plus members of the AMPAS,   (Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences.) To become a member requires and invite or according to wiki a nomination, members are not known.

 Although a few have posted their pics up. (four)

Well so out of 7.147 billion people on earth a 00000 percentage (you do the math) determines what the best film for the rest of us is. Ugh.   If you didn't know it already, film has been created and marketed for males; USA males mainly. It appears we in North America like to emulate our perspective on war films, comic films even the feminine dramas such as Saving Mr. Banks and Blue Jasmine. Yes, even when the camera remains focused on the suave beauty of both stars they remained fixed, as the sistas would say on some man. Which is somewhat interesting if you are a woman or minority director, screenwriter or actor.  I mean if the greatest of us must remain fixed on a dead father or husband what we can create that will garner any award let alone an Oscar (tm). Furthermore, it means you are might be limited in what genres, topics, subjects or even budget your future project might envision.  If your goal like mine is to own one of those gold plated statutes with your name etched on it, you might want to consider what project you want to pursue in the next decade. 

 Projects -

Recently I got an email from a screenwriting group that suggested you write a log line before you prepare an outline of your script, let alone write 120 pages. You know what a line is and a log. So what exactly is a log line? Well like what you use to be a phone message it is best short and sweet.  A phone message pad had the name of the caller, the number and what the caller wanted from you.  What do studios really want?  Well if we consider two Oscar contenders.  A log line/ phone message especially an Oscar log line should be sweet and simple. Example- Saving Mr. Banks- Caller (protagonist) Emma Thompson) wants a great drama about her father, represented by her Aunt Mary Poppins. What does she want redemption for her personal failure to save her father?

Example- Blue Jasmine- (protagonist Cate Blanchett) wants to retain her sanity, from the memories of an abusive dead husband (Alec Baldwin).   What does she want acceptance and love from those who do not care about her? 

Maybe if you can come up with the right “message” you too can become a member of the AMPAS. (The acronym reminds me of the Willy Wonka song) For that, song read tomorrows post.

POST 21

By Darrell J Banks Cr 2014

Are you ready 4 days to Oscar. As a relative of mine sees California for the first time, I too remember those cotton candy mountains and the sounds of the ocean.

The relative will be there for Oscar Sunday, and I hope he is given a tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

I often imagine what the Jewish refugees from Florida felt when they decided to setup shop and create movies free from baseball bats and thugs in California. Could they envision a multi-billionaire epicenter that has driven a world market for the past thirty years?

Recently there has been run about film production based on tax incentives etc. From Michigan, Europe and New Mexico everyone wants a few million dropped by their local hotels, restaurants and film studios. So much so that those who left Germany, the Midwest and Hungary have had to complain to the local officials to retain the film industry.  The airline industry left California, and a lot of high tech jobs moved to India and Seattle. I would hope those child hood memories of Carson and Hope hosting the Oscars will remain in Hollywood. I cannot imagine the Oscars one decade being held in Baton Rouge. But as unions become a distant memory to many Americans don’t forget who really made the stars of Hollywood shine.http://www.dailynews.com/business/20140225/los-angeles-city-hall-panel-hears-from-out-of-work-film-tv-workers

Post 20
CR 2014 Darrell J Banks

Well another emergency in that other thing, what  I must do to keep writing.  I must quit that day job.  It interferes with my karma and writing process.What do you do to keep the lights, gas and phone running? Did you choose your day job or was it imposed on you by economics? I know back  in the day when I chose my day job, I saw retirement before 60, not 80.  Remember that when you pick up a pen or type on a computer will your writing sustain you into retirement.
I mean will a 35 percent royalty check from Amazon or Random House pay the rent or property taxes at age 70?

Another  question  is writing a viable career past age 50?
T. Clancy
T. Hillerman RIP
Then there was Hemingway.

Post 19

By Darrell J Banks

CR 2014

Oscar is politics time

Perhaps the academy shouldn't have so many rules. After all Oscar is about marketing, selling a legal stream 

or a blue ray disk or two is not easy in times like this.  Like those Oscar presenters, everything is 

predestined. Who’s hot, who is not, is  the issue we find ourselves with every award season. After all an 

Oscar win can increase sales, raise a film’s  release chances and of course lead to a bigger check for a year 

or two for  an actor.

Marketing works, when actors meet with the Pope, you might just win a golden statute.

But now for those who were excluded.

1.  Collin Farrell

2. Emma Thompson

3. Tom  Hanks

Saving Mr. Banks

4.  Harrison Ford -42

5.   Michelle Williams- Oz the Great and Powerful

6.  James Franco- Spring Breakers

7. Cameron Diaz- The counselor

8. The cast of the Butler

9. The cast of the We’re the Millers

10.  ?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/oscar-campaigns-may-be-over-the-top-but-they-keep-otherwise-endangered-movies-alive/2014/02/23/fef5dde4-9a46-11e3-80ac-63a8ba7f7942_story.html

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Smears+jeers+nastiest+Oscar+race/9541672/story.html

POST 18

By Darrell J Banks

CR 2014

Writers think life can be simple if only we could create a character everyone will love.  I have fallen in love with some of my female characters. I loved Tina( protagonist) in  Muerte de Oya  and when I discovered  Aqua Quad ( antagonist) in episode two  of my screenplay trilogy, I had to bring her back from the dead before episode three.

Characters do not reflect a writer’s personality, maybe their subconscious, but rarely  do we share anything in common. After all that's why I write to experience a new life, reality and sometimes a new galaxy. We don’t like litigation and want to retain the small royalty checks and if lucky enough advance checks. So we don't use real people, places etc. So why was Saving Mr. Banks distributed by Disney and created by Columbia studios so close to reality.  Well they had audio tapes etc. 

Thus when Emma Thompson declines to sale her book to Tom Hanks in Saving Mr.  Banks I clearly understood her motivations.  She needed the money; she wanted to keep her house. But to save Mr. Banks (Mary Poppins the movie) she as a writer had violated rule one of writing. She had  invested so much of herself, her dad, mother and Aunt into the story that she could not  let go of the story/ rights without  divesting her soul in the creation of the screenplay and the classic movie Mary Poppins.

It would have been nice if Emma Thompson was nominated with Ms. Blanchet.  That would have been something dual Oscar winners. Good enough.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2014/01/how-emma-thompson-responded-to-meryl-streeps-oscar-snub-email/

Post 17

By Darrell J Banks

CR 2014

An actors, writers and even a director's life should be separate from his art. But somehow, in the late 20th and early 21st century that has changed.  From Rock Hudson to the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman we want to know what toilet paper a movie star uses.  We seem to thrive on the hubris.

It happens more with actors and directors it seems. The only writer we ever cared about was William Holden in Sunset Blvd.  In Blue Jasmine, Cat Blanchet delivers and Oscar worthy performance as the disaffected socialite unable to cope. As she says life traumas should make you run into the street and scream and talk to yourself.

Unfortunately, we are too often tweeting and face booking to notice the desolated lives of those who create their own mental traps and delusions. I laughed at some of her theatrics but the film is truly tragic. If you want to explore tragedy rent or buy this movie. I cannot find the script online.

http://www.sonyclassics.com/bluejasmine/bluejasmine_presskit.pdf

Post 16

By Darrell J Banks

Cr 2014

Last night a writer, responded to one of my posts. I didn't like what she said, so I responded on writers unboxed ( facebook). I was summarily  booted from the the group. No matter, I added another screenwriters group.

Writers  unless they are writing a diary face an audience. This blog, your novel, or screenplay even a note will be viewed by a reader.  You want that reader to be a buyer. Thus the caveat the customer is always right must factor into your writings.

So the question becomes how much reasearch should you place in a short story that you intend to .50 cents to 1.50. Being a slight perfectionist I find that authentic research about your topic  works find. But for a five page short story one must have a cut off.

When you research put your self a on  a clock. After all time is always money.

Post 15

CR 2014 Darrell J Banks

When I wrote for suite101.com I would often write some critical things, well maybe.

Real critics can usaually be found at the major  papers. See the link below.

Since this is still Oscar season, I will write about a few of the scripts It tried to finish.

Lone  Survivor is like reading any of the Rambo scripts.

I might see Saving Mr. Banks having recently found the original  DVD of Mary Poppins. But that depends on my writing schedule. The script is 120 Pages. Fruitvale may be a better investment or Rush.

I saw Fruitvale months ago. A great character story. Because most people who go see this film know the ending.  How do you take your protagonist show him at his best and worse and make the audience sympathetic to him.  You surround him with a great cast.

One movie  script I will read before March 2 is American Hustle

Remember Character is always the central theme.


https://secure.sonypictures.com/movies/academy/media/americanhustle-screenplay.pdf

Since this is  Oscar season you  can download for your consideration, most of the scripts
here.http://nofilmschool.com/2014/01/download-6-2014-oscar-nominated-screenplays-legally-free/


To see the films you will have to buy the DVD or find it at a discount or release theater.


http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-ca-mcnulty-oscar-notebook-20140223,0,2093443.story#axzz2tyzWIsPc

Post 14

By Darrell J  Banks CR 2014

Recently I and a group of writers were asked to write an Oscar Parody. Then I thought about that. Aren't the Oscars really just a parody of the movie business?  Either you have an agent or you don't.  You are either working or you are not.  You are either funny or well; you have to wait for that setup, punch line joke.  I hope they do a long dedication to Sid Caesar. TV will count!

http://www.oscars.org/

There are plenty of things to write about Oscar season just the host along could create a joke.  Ellen DeGeneres as little Nemo Think about it Gravity v 12 years a slave.  I wrote two pages in about twenty minutes on that concept. Wish me luck.

As for Oscar, I hope Ellen DeGeneres has great writers and I can survive past the first two hours. If not It might just be another snore festival. 

Speaking of Oscar, what films should have been nominated. This is my short list. I refuse to do ten, maybe fifteen with as you see a special Oscar for Action/Sci-Fi films.

1. Thor, the Dark World

2.  42

3. Iron Man 3

4. World War Z

5. The Hunger Games- Catching Fire

I mean Fruitvale Station was a great picture, but does it have the votes to win anything this year. Tune in on March 2, 2014

Cr 2014 Darrell J Banks

Post 13
Cr 2014
By Darrell J Banks
Why is Hollywood so selective?  Like most insulated businesses, they maintain the status quo.  Did new coke work? Pepsi One, bar b q Fritos. Well, the bbq Fritos worked.  So why does Hollywood, use the same law firms, publicists, writers, directors etc.   Is it raw talent, connections, what exactly is it?

As an outside writer, I can only say the wall is high and maybe the cost is too high to join Hollywood’s elite.  While I may have high profile twitter followers and facebook friends, the wall has remained impassable.  I would say I lack talent, but so many have said I do. So if you cannot obtain a high profile agent without a referral, and you cannot get your material into the hands of a producer without the high profile agent what is a writer to do?
I do not have an answer. So I just write.  I am still revising the first twenty pages of my film book and in the interim, I wrote another short story. It is up to about 1500 words. Now back in the day when you had mystery magazines you might get .05 cents to .03 cents per word so if you gave up your first North American serial rights.  You might get fifty dollars to 75 dollars for a lot of work, research and editing or a few hundred for a kill fee. Things have changed.

Now a days we have Kindle you give up a lot more 75 percent more. Your see the difference 75 for eternal rights to a publisher or 75 percent to retain your copyright for storage space a cover and well collecting your money. Now when I last checked I sold two, yep that is two short stories at 1.50. Can we say I am dropping the price soon (today)?  For this new short story, I will start at .50 cents and see how sales proceed.  My strategy, perhaps some producer will like the story line and buy it.  Which is another strategy to get a high profile agent without a referral? Wish me luck.

POST 12

What is a hero? In American film, it is always the protagonist.   Sometimes people to deserve to have their faith rewarded with a little statute to ensure that their movie audience is connected.  A great line in the Dark Knight. Batman…. Batman….. Why is he running because we have to chase him?

With words like that the late   Heath Ledger, as the antagonist had to have great lines too. The screenwriters J. Nolan and C. Nola gave him the words needed to recreate the Joker.

I only hope the new Batman movie has wings like that. Speaking of great movies it is Oscar season.

I have not felt compelled to see any of the films except Gravity.  I don’t know why it is like that anymore. When the Dark Knight was out people felt compelled to see it. There was a visible demand that someone be nominated.

cr 2014 darrell j banks
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/awards

How do you feel about this year’s crop? Is there any film or actor you feel the need to receive this year’s trophy. Personally, last year was more compelling and hopefully Ellen DeGeneres will keep us entertained. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/fullpage/best-picture-time-oscar-bracket-abc-news-21639617?utm_content=oscars&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=guptamedia&utm_source=google&utm_term=oscars

Post 11 So I went to see a few great movies.  Anchorman 2 had one of the most bizarre A talent endings.

Out of the Furnace well, let's just say every season Oscar and SAG and everybody else bypasses a great movie. 

You want great characters. Well Ron Burgundy pushes it to the limit. In Out of the Furnace, Casey Affleck takes it up a notch as an unemployed soldier forced to fight for his soul and for money.

Two great films two great character studies.

cr2014 darrell j banks

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229340/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206543/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3

Post 10
Today I decided to take my mind off my lack of a WGA agent. The writings I have done since 1977, the newspaper writing from 1985-1986, even the unsold screenplays.  The sun is shining and although I have not taken heed of my insomnia to write. I have read a recent book" Secrets of the Screen Trade" by Allen B. Ury.
Interesting book when it comes to sales and online log line submissions.

While he does have a chapter on going alone and pitching our movies without an agent. I cannot advise that route. While I have had a few nibbles from production companies and one agent, a long time ago said she did not feel passionate about my family comedy. Now a days with zero dollar options and one percent (or more) spec sales well let us just say I am writing another short story they can option or buy.

cr darrell j banks

But enough of the - let’s focus on the positive. I 'm going to see Anchor man 2http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Screen-Trade-From-Concept/dp/1580650600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392302257&sr=8-1&keywords=screen+trade+secrets+of

.

Post 9 What creative actions ensure a great movie? Umh? I think to ask that one cannot compare a great movie to a bad movie, but one must compare it to say, a film that could have been a good movie.
To create a great movie requires many things, the original screenplay, story development, the director’s choice of shots, but ultimately what emerges from the editing room and screenings determines what you will see.
Batman v Super man has been delayed for two reasons, script development and as the production company has stated a better movie.   Recently I saw the Monuments men.  It was delayed to change the tone of the movie was it a comedy, a drama, a buddy movie, a homage to WW2. Umh?

Perhaps all of the above. The critics hated it, at the end; I just felt it had to be trimmed down a bit perhaps thirty minutes.  But if Clooney had parachuted Cate Blanchett to fight with the boys it would have been a great comedy.
cr darrell j banks

http://www.monumentsmen.com/

What is about Michigan that still drives movie producers to come into the state. Is it the water, the land, the people?  Only the 50 million keeps them coming and that state of the art studio in Pontiac. While it will be tied up for the  next 10 to 12 months with the reboot of Batman one has to  still wonder why.

I 've read Jennifer Gardner will be spending the  summers here. But for more  you should read the fb post  of DC Movies
cr 2014 darrell j banks

We love the great characters, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. but what happened to their creators. I read a portion of this book. It didn't turn out great for Superman's creators. http://www.scribd.com/doc/161014705/Superman-vs-Hollywood-How-Fiendish-Producers-Devious-Directors-and-Warring-Writers-Grounded-an-American-Icon?SearchEngine=Google&Account=Scribdbooks&Campaign=IPGBooks_2&adgroup=Superman%20vs.%20Hollywood:%20How%20Fiendish%20Producers,%20Devious%20Directors,%20and%20Warring%20Writers%20Grounded%20an%20American%20Icon&Keyword=superman%20vs.%20hollywood&MatchType=e&Distribution=Search&AdID=33561278707&Placement=&Position=1s1&gclid=CL2X4NiJwrwCFZRr7AodMhAAIg

Post 7
Sci-Fi- Like space writing sci fi can be a challenge. After all if you have a face book account do you really carry about space travel.
If you do like space travel, perhaps you prefer semi science fiction like that espoused in “Gravity” or Matt Damons’ Elysium
While I have always enjoyed such films, I found good things come in threes. I wrote a sci-fi trilogy Tritium 115, and then due a lack of interest in my screenplays, I came back to fiction.  Over fifteen years ago I started a novel. I did not like the adjectives and adverbs required in a novel.  While my late hero Elmore Leonard sparsely used exposition and relied on great dialog I didn’t want to copy his style. So I started writing screenplays. However, a few weeks ago having stalled out on my nonfiction book at 20 pages and my screenplay at page 60 of a screenplay I returned to short form fiction. Remember this thought the late great Phillip Dicks’ stories sell at 25 for .99 cents. While my imagination is not comparable .99 cents is demeaning for a great writer. So I priced mine at $1.50 a piece not so much in that I am a great writer but just the principle that a word should be at least worth 05 to .08 cents.

This is link to my first short story, Rejects.
 http://www.amazon.com/Reject-Vol-1-3-Darrell-Banks-ebook/dp/B00I3OF294/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391875340&sr=1-1

CR 2014 All Rights Reserved worldwide darrell j banks

Post  6
Once a potential agent said she didn’t feel a passion for my project. Life is short, so  one does have to pick and chose.  Then market forces enter the realm.  In a digital world where one may prefer to text and face book then immerse oneself within a movie or book the writer must face that reality.

That is why I focus on character creation. Characters (human beings) are the focus of life.  DC Movies on Facebook has ballooned to 80 thousand plus followers because people love Batman, Superman and the Flash. What will people love about your characters.   Think about that?
cr2014 darrell j banks

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Post 5

Every few years the Western is dragged out the cave and gives an excuse for an actor to ride a horse. The last run has been on television “Hatfields v McCoys”, and the TV series “Justified” and “Vegas”.

The western has always been a boom for Hollywood, expansionism, war, cowboys and Native Americans. I mean why else did Bruckheimer and company remake the Lone Ranger.

How does one create a great character Western?

A cool cowboy/sheriff protagonist (the late great Cleavon Little Blazing Saddles), a real bad guy (DiCaprio in Django), horses, and ripping, toting gun fight ending.

Below is an excerpt for an article I wrote on the western.

CR 2014 All Rights Reserved worldwide darrell j banks

I=ll be your Huckleberry- the Western

By Darrell Jerome Banks

Copyright 2005

All Rights Reserved

Face it you like horses, you like seeing them run, jump and there is nothing more exciting than a cowboy riding a horse backwards and shooting at anybody.  Before drive byes, or Arnold as the Terminator, westerns dominated the world.   Since celluloid film emerged from Hollywood the world has been fascinated with Cowboys and Native Americans.

Despite the absence of a good Western since Clint Eastwood in AUnforgiven,@ the genre is wide open. With remakes of the A The Love Bug@ and Assault on Precinct 13 shuffling through the Hollywood machine your opportunity to emerge as the next break out writer may be through the Arizona desert and a six-shooter.

Post 4

Ten years ago, I wrote an article for suite101.com on Story Telling.

What is the difference between storytelling and character creation? Characters live lives before and after they are inserted in a screenplay.  Stories have a beginning and an end. You stick around for the middle part of the story.

I recently completed a compilation of some my articles Vol 1 The Corrugated Screenwriter.
cr2014 darrell j banks

http://www.amazon.com/CORRUGATED-SCRIPTWRITER--Vol-writings-screenplay-ebook/dp/B00I5PBWWC/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391274703&sr=1-6&keywords=darrell+j+banks

How does one create a great character?
Today I read an online article ( Playboy) on Ben  Affleck’s take on Batman, this movie will/will not ( only the executive producer) knows in  a state of the art Pontiac,MI  studio.
Batman is a great character-dark ,moody, depressed and heroic. Add  in his rich and lively counterpart Bruce Wayne and you have someone as confused as two face.
Creating a protagonist requires a thought process. In that interview Ben used his dad as the Matt Damon janitor character.
You can create great characters from your background, just remember to change them to the point that even your mother wouldn't recognize them..

cr 2014 darrell j banks

http://www.amazon.com/Character-within-Screenplay-Beginnings-Completion/dp/1453718826/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391274672&sr=1-5&keywords=darrell+j+banks

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Character within the Screenplay: - Beginnings, Completion and Revision: Darrell J Banks: 9781453718827: Amazon.com: Books

amazon.com

Three years ago I wrote a book on Character Within the Screenplay, today I’m writing short stories that  focus on character. What has changed? Well,  ebooks , twitter, tumbler, pinterest have forced the reading public into a new market.  That market is visual.  For every three hour movie  ( The Wolf of Wall Street)there is the tight action counter part. ( Gravity).
Because of that I’m limiting my next book to 100 pages, not big enough for a publisher, but big enough for a 2 day IPad or Kindle read.  I’ve learned to adapt.
cr2014 darrell j banks